


I Don't Feel So Well

by Widowfics



Series: Varian and Whumptober 2020 [18]
Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Big Sis Rapunzel, Chronic Pain, Hurt Varian (Disney), I hope my bad writing doesn't want to make you die, I literally wrote this instead of school, I'm late again, Rapunzel's POV, Whumptober 2020, don't judge I'm just a freshman, i don't know how they work, i hate science, i want to die
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:27:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27149399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Widowfics/pseuds/Widowfics
Summary: “Alright, well, why don’t you tell me about how you got it?” she suggests, trying to lighten the mood back up. “I’m sure it’s a really interesting story.”He looks at her briefly, before looking back down.“...you don’t want to hear it.”
Relationships: Rapunzel & Varian (Disney)
Series: Varian and Whumptober 2020 [18]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1940524
Comments: 13
Kudos: 135
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	I Don't Feel So Well

**Author's Note:**

> k yeah I've pretty much accepted the fact that all my stories are gonna be one day late from now on until I magically find a free day to catch up. Sorry about that! I'm currently posting this while sitting in science class instead of working on my research report because science is pointless...
> 
> if it isn't obvious I have no idea how chronic pain or broken bones work at all (science. is. pointless.) My bad. Hope you like this anyways, even though it's literal trash!
> 
> PROMPTS I USED TODAY: chronic pain

Rapunzel smiles fondly, listening intently to everything the boy walking next to her rambles on about. Right now, Varian is talking her through his latest formula, tone becoming more cheery with each number and equation. She knows he’s excited to have someone who actually understands what he’s saying (she’s read her share of science books), and he shows it with large hand gestures and bouncing steps. All she can think about is how much he’s acting like a true kid. It had taken them some time to get to this point, and they’re still working on it, but she knows he’s trying really hard. And that’s all she can ask of him.

“...so anyways, I’m gonna be really careful. Wouldn’t want something to…” he trails off, rubbing the back of his neck and giving her a look.

“Explode?” she guesses with a teasing smile.

He returns it, dropping his hand. “Yeah, basically.”

She looks around them, realizing they’re in the town square, and the sun is starting to set behind the castle in the distance. It’s incredible how fast she can lose track of time when she’s having so much fun. Their day together had gone by much faster than expected, and half her list of stuff to do is still incomplete. But seeing Varian so relaxed and carefree, it doesn’t bother her. That _was_ the whole point, after all. With all her new duties recently, they rarely get a chance to hang out anymore, which she knows isn’t the best for the kid. This is most certainly a priority.

“So!” she exclaims, clapping her hands together and looking at the boy that’s _almost_ taller than her. “What do you want to do now?

Varian’s eyes light up at the question, before darting around the square in search of an answer. He opens his mouth, ready to say something, but stops. She sees today’s mostly consistent joy disappear from his face, replaced by a barely hidden grimace.

“I wouldn’t mind taking a break,” he finally says, much quieter than a few minutes ago. “Maybe, like, right now?”

“Oh, ok!” she replies, concerned at his sudden change in behavior, but not waiting to push anything.

They begin to walk towards the nearby fountain, but about halfway, Varian stumbles, quickly falling to the ground. He narrowly catches himself with gloved hands, and in seconds Rapunzel is kneeling next to him, eyes wide in surprise.

“Whoa, are you ok?” she asks as he tries to stand back up, but fails, instead settling for pushing himself into a sitting position.

“Y-Yeah, I’m fine,” he gets out, closing his eyes and biting his lip in a way that shows he is very much _not_ fine. She notices he holds one leg out; maybe that’s the source of his very obvious pain.

“What happened?” she prods, not liking the way he’s closing up (they had been doing so good!)

He opens his eyes again, focus trained near his foot. “It’s just - just an old injury. Sometimes it flares up when I’m walking too much,” he insists.

He clenches his teeth and his hands hover over his ankle, fingers curling in and out just above it, as if he can do nothing about it.

Sensing Rapunzel’s confusion, he starts to explain. “It’s spasming. I just have to w-wait for it to stop. Which _sucks_.”

She nods in understanding, before deciding to sit next him, ignoring the stares from the few people walking around them. 

“Alright, well, why don’t you tell me about how you got it?” she suggests, trying to lighten the mood back up. “I’m sure it’s a really interesting story.”

He looks at her briefly, before looking back down.

“...you don’t want to hear it.”

Rapunzel is shocked by his words. It’s just a story; why wouldn’t she want to hear it?

“Of course I would! Come on, I’m sure it’s good.”

He still doesn’t look at her, biting harder on his lip.

“I got it in prison.”

A small gasp escapes the princess’s lips, though she tries to hide it. Varian gives a dry chuckle.

“Told you,” he says, tone devoid of satisfaction.

She doesn’t let his mood change get to her. They’re working on this, and she knows everything’s not gonna be perfect all at once.

Placing a hand on his shoulder, she gives a small smile. He finally looks up at her.

“You can tell me about it if you want to, Varian. I’m here to listen.”

He stares at her, searching her face for a few moments. Then he sighs.

“I...got into a fight with some other inmate. It was a big guy. I didn’t want any of them to know I couldn’t protect myself, cause that would’ve caused an entire other set of problems. He called me out and...well, I didn’t really have another choice at that point.”

Varian rolls his eyes, as if he’s annoyed with the whole situation, but Rapunzel knows his emotions run far deeper than that.

“He ended up breaking my ankle. It wasn’t a big break, but it took me and An- my _cellmate_ , a while to make a decent splint. I don’t think it ever healed properly. So, uh - yeah. Now I have to deal with this.”

Rapunzel stays silent, slowly processing everything her friend has told her. One question comes to mind.

“And the guards? They didn’t do anything about it?”

Varian snorts. “The guards? Really?” Upon seeing she’s serious, he falls back to seriousness as well. “Sorry Princess, but that’s not how it works. They couldn’t care less about what we do to each other, so long as we don’t get out.”

Rapunzel’s face hardens.”Well, they should!”

Varian only shrugs. “What’s done is done. I did the crimes, I served the sentence, and it’s over now.”

“Is it, though?”

Varian snaps his head up at her question, confusion in his expression. 

“What do you mean?”

“Is it really over, Varian?” she repeats, looking him straight in the eyes. “Because it doesn’t seem like that. For you at least.”

“I don’t understand…”

“What happened to you in there, whether you feel like you deserve it or not, matters. It’s going to affect you for the _rest of your life_. You shouldn’t have to ignore it, or hide it. If you ever want to move on...this is not the way.”

Varian doesn’t speak, only looks at her, eyes beginning to water. Before the tears can fall, though, he wipes them away, clearing his throat and changing his gaze to the sky above them.

“...if you say so, Rapunzel.”

Rapunzel presses her lips into a thin line, gently taking his hand.

“I’m serious,” she urges.

He takes in a deep breath, albeit a little shaky, and faces her once more.

“Alright,” he agrees. “I’ll...try.”

Her smile from before finally returns, although other emotions are mixed in with it this time.

“I care about you Varian. I care how you feel and,” she pauses, making sure his full attention is on her. “I love you.”

For a moment, his expression doesn’t change. Then he pulls both his legs up, letting her know his pain has stopped, for now. He smiles himself.

“I love you too.”

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> thx for reading!


End file.
